tell.talks
tell.talks is the podcast for people who work in fintech, payments and financial services. We have honest, direct conversations with the founders, leaders and operators shaping the industry.
Each episode runs under 15 minutes. No fluff, no jargon for the sake of it. Just real conversations about what's working, what isn't, and where embedded finance, open banking, payments infrastructure and the future of money are actually heading.
Guests have included executives from TSB Bank, Railsr, SaaScada, Moorwand, Andaria and more. Covering everything from legacy core banking systems, Confirmation of Payee, BaaS regulation, to leadership, M&A and building without funding.
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New episodes every fortnight. Follow to never miss one.
Episodes
14 episodes
14 - Cash is dying and so are tips. Alan Smith on building worker-first fintech for the 91% cashless economy
Cash is disappearing, only 9% of UK retail transactions are now cash, and the workers who've always relied on tips are quietly losing out. Hotel cleaners, gym trainers, bar staff, mechanics: people giving great service in industries where there...
13 - The hardest part of becoming a leader isn't the strategy, it's learning to stop doing everything yourself. Alana Parsons, Caxton
In this episode of tell.talks, we sit down with Alana Parsons, COO at Caxton, to unpack what it really means to step into leadership.Alana shares her journey from operational roles to the C-suite, and the mindset shi...
12 - Fraud, regulation, customer expectations, Kevin McAdam on what it actually costs to scale embedded finance
In this episode, we’re joined by Kevin McAdam, CEO of Andaria, to talk through the realities of building and scaling in embedded finance.From Andaria’s evolution into a full embedded finance provider to the operational pressures o...
11 - Embedded finance has moved past the pilot stage. Most banks haven't realised it yet, Erica Katsambis
In this episode of tell.talks, we’re joined by Erica Katsambis to explore how innovation, partnerships and leadership intersect in the evolving world of embedded finance.Erica’s career has taken her from telecoms innovation in t...
10 - Most fintechs fail not because the idea is wrong, but because ambition overtook reality, Luc Gueriane, Moorwand
In this episode of tell.talks, we sit down with Luc Gueriane, CEO of Moorwand, to explore what separates truly successful fintechs from the ones that never quite make it. Drawing on years of experience working with emerging fintech businesses, ...
9 - Banks are running on systems that were built before the internet existed. Nelson Wootton on the ticking clock
In this episode of tell.talks, we sit down with Nelson Wootton, CEO and Co-Founder of SaaScada, to unpack why banks still struggle to move at pace, and what needs to change.Nelson shares why many banks operate week...
8 - The FCA and HMRC weren't listening to smaller payment firms, so Catherine Dixon built a body that made them
In this episode of tell.talks, we sit down with Catherine Dixon, Founder of The Payments Institutions Association (TPIA), to explore what’s happening behind the scenes of the UK payments ecosystem.Catherine shares wh...
7 - Open Banking already has 15 million users. Banks still aren't taking it seriously, Adam Betteridge, TSB
In this episode of tell.talks, we’re joined by Adam Betteridge, Partnerships, FinTech & Open Banking Lead at TSB Bank.Adam shares a candid view on what fintech innovation really looks like inside a major bank, from building me...
6 - From first female trader in the City to CSO of a merged fintech, Lou Murray on the career no one planned
Lou Murray, Chief Sales Officer at Railsr, joins tell.talks to unpack some insights behind the Railsr–Equals merger, to explore what it really takes to bring two fast-growing fintechs together under one roof. She also opens up about her own per...
5 - Are fintech leaders making things more complicated than they need to be? Teresa Connors thinks yes
In this episode of tell.talks, Teresa Connors shares how simplicity, security, and society form the foundation of effective leadership in financial services. From avoiding innovation pitfalls to embracing consumer duty and making value-driven d...
4 - No VC. No funding rounds. Still trusted by banks worldwide, Daria Dubinina on building Crassula differently
In this episode of tell.talks, Daria Dubinina, CEO and Co-Founder of Crassula shares what it takes to build a fintech without external investment. From ditching the “startup” label to building a platform trusted by banks worldwide, Dar...
3 - Half our team had never worked in payments before, and that's our edge. Suresh Vaghjiani on building CLOWD9
In this conversation, Suresh Vaghjiani, CEO & Co-Founder of CLOWD9 shares what it takes to innovate in an industry weighed down by decades-old infrastructure, how to hire for challenge (not comfort), and why money should never cost you your...
2 - Why a fintech CEO is sponsoring golf instead of Google ads, James Hickman on the brand strategy that actually works
We sat down with James Hickman, CEO of Finseta, to explore how sports sponsorship can drive brand recognition in unexpected ways. From golf to squash, James shares what works, what doesn’t, and how sponsorship can inspire both customers and tea...
1 - Five years to fix a fraud problem that should have taken one, Anu Raman on the story of Confirmation of Payee
Anu Raman takes us behind the scenes of Confirmation of Payee, from its challenging launch during Covid to becoming a cornerstone of trust in payments. Five years on, CoP now powers over 70 million checks a month and continues to shape the futu...